The spectrum of views concerning police enforcement, racial tension, white privilege and more is broad and complicated. Most of all, it is shifting. Amidst the shift, we must be open to both/and positions and reject the simplicity, if not precariousness, of either/or options.
By understanding something about where we are, we may just lighten our burden ever so slightly, but more importantly, we may discover who God knows us to be and who we are supposed to be to others.
The amazing grace of which Christians sing each Easter speaks of Jesus’ sacrifice and offer of redemption. In addition to singing, my neighbors and I offered prayers of thanksgiving for the medical professionals and first responders, while asking God to heal the world and close friends, colleagues, and family from the ravages of COVID-19. Our prayers of supplication, or request, covered the global economy to the local pizzeria to government relief and to hospital capacities. Our prayers were not specific to the salvific work of Christ on the cross, but rather focused on the loving, merciful, and graceful intervention of God in a world that is suffering.
Today we have curated several different articles that we thought would be of interest to you. Most of these articles are not long. We have hyperlinked the titles for your convenience and have included a blurb to give you some sense of the article under each title. The New York Times article uses a term called “tragic optimism” which for the Christ follower would be called the joy of our salvation. Or as Hugh Whelchel puts it, “Standing in the love of Christ is the source of all the motivation we need to do what he has called us to do.” There is a lot to consider in these articles, so happy reading.
This is our third and final installment of the three-part vlog series entitled Navigating Turbulence (Part 1 and Part 2 here). We are considering our own well-being in this week’s vlog. Case Thorp and Donelle Wright, a seasoned leadership coach, will discuss What is God asking of us at this time? along with How do you access joy in difficult seasons? This conversation can help all of us personally, but also provide deeper understanding as we strive to lead well during turbulence.
Today, communications (personally and corporately) is the focus of our second installment of The Collaborative’s three-part vlog series entitled Navigating Turbulence. “The constant gaze of a Zoom meeting can be draining in ways an in-person meeting isn’t,” says Jeremy Bailenson in his latest article for the Wall Street Journal entitled Why Zoom Meetings Can Exhaust Us. Case Thorp and Donelle Wright, a seasoned leadership coach, will discuss this issue and others that we all need to be cognizant of during COVID-19. Click on the button below to gain more insight on communications.
Today The Collaborative is kicking off a three-part vlog series entitled Navigating Turbulence. We are striving to provide practical encouragement as we are all learning new ways of life amid Covid-19. These are short discussions between Case Thorp and Donelle Wright, a seasoned leadership coach. The first installment is Navigating Turbulence: Dealing with the Unknown. Normally, we post on the second and fourth Wednesday’s of the month. However, to be more responsive to the immediate crisis, we will be publishing a vlog for the next three consecutive weeks.
With Super Tuesday already behind us but many more miles still ahead for this year’s primary elections, this week’s article, The Political Captivity of the Faithful, by Nathan Hatch is worth our consideration. It is a good reminder to remember in whom we have our identity which is not our political party affiliation. What influences are controlling your choices–your political party or your theology? As believers we are the body of Christ, the radiant bride, the church. Enjoy!
In America, the mainstream culture views work largely in terms of money, benefits, and status. It defines work as a job instead of a vocation, making our work a commodity that is easily replaceable and meaningless. Instead, vocation roots work in mission, calling, and purpose. Vocation allows us to find our true identity in the lifelong pursuit of our calling.
Faith is trust in something that you don’t have immediate evidence for. It’s a virtue of traces, of the smell of rain before the clouds even appear. It is the working feet of the Christian journey, the inside-out rally cap of the bottom of the ninth of life, the down-to-earth grit, not the five minute grit everyone is selling in self-help books, but the real one that looks out from your best friend’s eyes in that moment when you have to choose and you choose together. We have relegated faith to the outskirts of our conversation because we are blind to the many different ways, times, and places that its strength bursts forth.
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